Shoe upper edge finish



Dec. 30, 1941.

F. L. FOSTER ET AL SHOE UPPER EDGE FINISH Original Filed Oct. 11, 1939 Fig.1

Patented Dec. 30, 1941 SHOE UPPER EDGE FKNKSH Original application October 11, 1939, Serial No. 298,886. Divided and this application June 21, 1940, Serial No. 341,728

1 Claim.

This invention relates to finishes for the raw edge of a piece of sheet material and is herein particularly illustrated in connection with the raw edges of leather or leather-like materials used in shoe uppers.

It is particularly true of light, flexible leather, such as is used in shoe uppers, that the raw edge formed in even a comparatively thin piece of material is unsightly. This results partly from the fibrous nature of the material, partly from the fact that the leather is likely to rough up and appear thicker than it normally is, and partly from the fact that the raw edge is usually of a color different from the color of the surface of the material. There are numerous known methods of concealing such raw edges, such as folding the edge, covering the edge with a cloth binding, treating the material near the edge to cause the outer surface of the leather to curl, thereby completely covering the raw edge, and other similar methods, each of which is limited in its field of utility; furthermore, such finishing methods are comparatively expensive and are avoided as much as possible in cheaper grades of shoes. With these factors in mind, an object of the invention is to devise an improved edge finish for shoe uppers of flexible material.

It will be clear that no matter what sort of an edge finish is provided, it should be substantially as durable as the sheet material to which it is applied; it should be sufliciently flexible so as not to interfere with the natural bending of the material in the shoe; and it should have a decorative appearance. To this end, we have applied to the edge of the sheet material a bead of lacquer or other plastic material which is secured to the sheet material preferably by reason of its adhesive properties and which provides a hard, nontacky surface of decorative appearance. This bead may have any desired cross-sectional contour, independent of the contour of the edge of the sheet material, and may conceal both the edge and one or more of the adjacent margins of the sheet material.

These and other aspects of the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a portion of a shoe upper the edge of which has been finished; and

Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, are sections through the edges of pieces of work, showing differently shaped and positioned beads of finishing material applied thereto.

The drawing shows various pieces of work S in which the unfolded edge E has been concealed by the application thereto of a bead B of plastic material by an apparatus such as that shown in our application Serial. No. 289,886, filed October 11, 1939, for improvements in Finishing edges of sheet material, of which this is a division. These work pieces S are commonly of flexible material, such as shoe uppers in which it is desired to conceal the raw edge E, which, partly because of its fibrous nature, usually cannot be made presentable or attractive in appearance by the mere application thereto of a liquid dressing or stain. With our invention, however, the edge is completely concealed because the bead B will commonly be made of opaque material, such as lacquer or plastic, the color of which may match the color of the work or contrast therewith. This lacquer-like material clings tenaciously to the pieces of work by reason of its adhesive properties and, when it solidifies, provides a hard. non-tacky surface of decorative appearance. The thickness or opacity of the material is such that the fibres at the edge of the work do not show through the material, and the cross-sectional contour of the bead is independent of the contour of the edge of the leather. The nature of the material is such that it is resistant to abrasion and is sufficiently flexible after it has dried or hardened so that bending of the sheet material will not break the bead.

It will be understood that the exact shape of the decorative head is not'material, but, for the sake of illustration, we have shown in Fig. 2 a bead B which extends farther out from the edge of the Work and is joined to thin-coatings upon the upper and lower margins of the work adjacent to the edge. Under some circumstances, it may be desirable to change the position of the bead to that shown in Fig. 3, where the bead B is displaced toward one face of the work or, as shown in Fig. 4, where the bead B is positioned substantially the same as in Fig. 3 but in which no marginal coatings are applied. For some purposes, it may be found desirable to apply a bead B having a substantially rectangular shape, as in Fig. 5, to cover both the edge and also the adjacent margins of the work.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A shoe upper comprising a sheet of flexible leather having a beaded edge portion including a coating of opaque, plastic material providing a hard, non-tacky surface, the cross-sectional contour of said coating being independent of the contour of the edge of the leather and capable of bending with the leather without breaking.

FRED L. FOSTER. CHARLES I. STODDARD. 

